Exactly what is your ideal gene expression?

I see this all over the site, and Mark talks about wanting people to reach their full genetic potential all the time. Specifically, he seems to want to make everyone as healthy as possible with the most palatable diet plan; hence the 80/20 rule. The one thing I've been wondering lately though, is when do I know if I'm where I'm supposed to be with this? I have a basic understanding of epigenetics, which Mark has mentioned is what he means by "reprogram your genes" What I Mean by “Reprogram Your Genes” | Mark's Daily Apple. but it seems to me that it is pretty hard to know if you are expressing the right genes. I also watched this talk by Dr. Doug Mcguff at the 21 convention https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PdJFbjWHEU I will quickly summarize the relevant part here since it is so long; he talks about how he (relatively) effortlessly looks the way he does by following primal and lifting weights once (or less) a week and says its because that is his ideal phenotype. He also states when you get to this ideal phenotype (by following his and Marks advice) you may be surprised its not what you want to look like, but you shouldn't attempt to stray too far from it since this is the best phenotype for you. In other words, you will attract more suitable partners looking like the healthiest, best version of you; not striving for a "swimmers body" if yours is completely different. My problem with this is, as I said before, how are you supposed to know if you are there? Or if you need to add in more or less exercise, be more or less strict with your diet, etc? There is a lot of variation even within this community of Mark's recommendations followers, and even McDuff states the exercises he recommends aren't the only ones to do, but are just an example of what you can do. So, how can you be sure?

My problem with this is, as I said before, how are you supposed to know if you are there? Or if you need to add in more or less exercise, be more or less strict with your diet, etc?

Here is my take on it: your will be healthy when you feel happy and energetic, bursting in sporadic movement. You will not be worried when, what exactly and how much you are eating and how much you exscersising, and if it is the bestest thing. You will get hungry, and eat with gusto, but won't have an impulse to extend the meal indefinetly. You will sleep through the night, not lingering before going to bed and not twisting an turning for half a night. Basically, you will feel and act like a kid. Once you achieve that, take a picture... ideal you. More likely than not it won't be ripped, but if you are happy, you won't care...

Additionally, I want to approach my last third of life with the ability to not need too much assistance. I don't want to wrench my back getting in or out of a car. (Flexibility is a big issue for seniors.) I want to be able to crawl under the bed to get the cat and not need to use my medical alert device because I can't get back up. I want to be mentally clear enough to not stand on a wobbly chair to reach something and limber/strong enough to get the four foot ladder to accomplish the task. IOW, when all is said and done, whether at college weight or heavier, whether brown hair or grey, I want my perception of myself to be, "pretty damned good for a geezer."

"Right is right, even if no one is doing it; wrong is wrong, even if everyone is doing it." - St. Augustine

Here is my take on it: your will be healthy when you feel happy and energetic, bursting in sporadic movement. You will not be worried when, what exactly and how much you are eating and how much you exscersising, and if it is the bestest thing. You will get hungry, and eat with gusto, but won't have an impulse to extend the meal indefinetly. You will sleep through the night, not lingering before going to bed and not twisting an turning for half a night. Basically, you will feel and act like a kid. Once you achieve that, take a picture... ideal you. More likely than not it won't be ripped, but if you are happy, you won't care...

I pretty much fall into all of these, with the exception of not be worried if its the "bestest thing". Does that mean its not right for me? I feel great, I look great, and like my exercise scheduled is something I can keep up forever. I even gave my story to Mark already because I feel the healthiest I've ever felt. Since I posted it though, I started wondering if this is the healthiest I can feel, and like JoanielL said, am I on the right track to an awesome old geezer?

Since I posted it though, I started wondering if this is the healthiest I can feel, and like JoanielL said, am I on the right track to an awesome old geezer?

Why sweat it? Appreciate it for what it is RIGHT NOW...if that changes in two weeks or eight months or three years, roll with it then. You can't possibly have all the answers for what the future holds and trying to figure it out will make you insane and add stress you don't need.

I don't know, I guess because looking through the other success stories, I seemed to be a bit les muscled than most. It got me thinking if we are all following the same advice, am I really where Im supposed to be. Also, I suppose its in my nature...I've always been a "worrier"

So, can you pinpoint where the worry is? Is it specifically that you want to me more muscled? Or is it just a more diffuse worry, kinda cloudy and hard to put your thumb on?

Because if it is very definite, I say, write out this goal, in its specifics, and why not try to get there for a while and see what happens?
If it is diffuse, I say take a weekend hiking trip or something to distract yourself, because if you are feeling good on all counts that really matter, Leida's advice is really good - you are already there - and the worry will just hurt you.

I have a mantra that I have spouted for years... "If I eat right, I feel right. If I feel right, I exercise right. If I exercise right, I think right. If I think right, I eat right..." Phil-SC

There is a saying in 12-step groups: "If you want what we have, do what we did." So if you aren't lifting but people with better muscles are, why not try lifting and see where it takes you? That goes for anything, not just muscles and lifting.

I've been following all of this based on try something, if it improves the quality of my life somehow, continue. If not, try something else.

At one point I considered getting a body fat test to see how far I'm off from what I ought to be. But I decided not to. If I feel healthy and can do the things in life that I want to do and am making improvements little-by-little, who cares what some number has to say about it? And if I do everything the PB says to do and end up just looking like I do now, maybe this IS the best me.

Oh, and a guilty admission is I watch Survivor and sometimes when I see this stick thin skinny girls who look all awesome in their skimpy bikinis but don't have enough strength to even lift their own body over an obstacle, I feel way better about myself. Even though if were I to go on Survivor and stand next to them I'd look like some fat old broad and probably be voted off first thing.

Something that has helped me is having a fitness instructor. I said to her I probably should be about 65 kilos because thats what my BMI is but I don;t know if I can get to that because I am quite solid (big boobs) and so if I can get to 68 I'll be happy.

She frowned and her words to me were. We will go by your strength and where you need to build muscle so you are balanced. We will look at your overall weight and how your clothes fit and most of all we will go by how you are feeling.

One of the things I have found most confusing is when I started exercising again after following Primal (and food restrctions due to intolerances) for 12 months I was 72 kilos. My weight stayed the same as fat changed into muscle. I am now 72.1 kilos this morning but I am a fitter leaner stronger 72 kilos than I have ever been. So what my fitness instructor says is right. It is about the visual test....and strength and health.